Dons rally to end 6-game losing streak

USF 76, SAN JOSE STATE 71

USF played the first half of Tuesday night's game against San Jose State looking every bit like a team that had lost six in a row.

In the opening 20 minutes, the Dons shot 30.8 percent from the floor, committed nine turnovers and had to feel fortunate to trail only 34-23 at the break.

The fans at Memorial Gym witnessed quite a turnaround in the second half. USF shot 66.7 percent from the floor, committed three turnovers and outscored the Spartans 53-37 to put an end to the skid with a 76-71 decision.

So, did Rex Walters give his best fire-and-brimstone speech at halftime?

"I was really just trying to be positive, the best I could," the Dons' head coach said. "That doesn't always come naturally to me."

Scoring seemingly comes naturally to Dior Lowhorn. The Dons' senior forward, who led the WCC in scoring the past two seasons, poured in 20 of his game-high 26 points in the second half.

USF (3-6) was down 38-25 early in the second half and then put together a 25-5 blitz. Lowhorn scored the final 10 of those 25 points.

The San Francisco Dons, Dior Lowhorn makes a basket taking the lead over the San Jose Spartans Tuesday Dec. 8, 2009, at the War Memorail Gym in San Francisco, Calif.

The San Francisco Dons, Dior Lowhorn makes a basket taking the lead over the San Jose Spartans Tuesday Dec. 8, 2009, at the War Memorail Gym in San Francisco, Calif.

Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle

Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle

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The San Francisco Dons, Dior Lowhorn makes a basket taking the lead over the San Jose Spartans Tuesday Dec. 8, 2009, at the War Memorail Gym in San Francisco, Calif.

The San Francisco Dons, Dior Lowhorn makes a basket taking the lead over the San Jose Spartans Tuesday Dec. 8, 2009, at the War Memorail Gym in San Francisco, Calif.

Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle

Dons rally to end 6-game losing streak

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The 10, in order: a tip-in, a steal and slam that put the Dons ahead to stay at 44-43, a jumper, a left-handed jump hook and two free throws.

An illness forced Lowhorn to sit out USF's loss at BYU on Saturday, and he missed the Dons' shootaround Tuesday, getting final medical clearance to play. He did not start, but played 25 minutes and went 9-for-14 from the floor and 8-for-10 from the line.

"When you give up 50 points in a half, you can't be happy," San Jose State head coach George Nessman said. "We're not happy with our defense, but I don't want it to sound as if it was us playing bad defense.

"USF did a great job of getting (Lowhorn) the ball in good places, so let's give credit to them."

"I just feel really good for our guys," Walters said. "I feel great ... seeing our guys dancing in the locker room, seeing our guys jumping up and down in the locker room, seeing our guys joke around with each other."

And Lowhorn is relieved the Dons don't have to carry a skid into their next game, at Loyola Chicago on Saturday.

"Honestly, if we would have lost today," Lowhorn said, "you would have that lingering feeling going all the way into the next game, on the road in Chicago. ...

"You couldn't sleep at night, probably. It just relieves four days of stress."

Briefly: Lowhorn passed Mark McCathrion for 13th on the Dons' career scoring list. Lowhorn has 1,394 points. McCathrion, who played from 1985 through '89, had 1,376. ... The Spartans host Cal State Bakersfield tonight.